Simple Affection
by sctwilightvampwolfgal
Summary: Somehow, Marinette finds herself reaching out with quite a bit of affection towards Adrien and Cat Noir. *Inspired off of the prompt for Day Two of Love Square Fluff Week 2019.*


Ladybug doesn't quite know what compels her to do it. Just, she'd looked over at Cat Noir after a rough fight. They'd returned to the rooftops, exhausted, but unready to go home, anticipating being out all day during an Akuma fight might mean they'll get into lots of trouble.

Cat Noir's legs are splayed over the rooftop, and his gorgeous green eyes are closed. He's leaning back, nearly halfway towards laying down on the rooftop. It's as if time has stopped moving and stopped meaning anything. It's vulnerable in just how relaxed he is, and she can count the heavy breaths that he's still panting out. His breathing has yet to regulate back to a much more normal pace, and she just steps forward, quiet as a mouse on her feet.

Her eyes flutter closed, and she kisses his forehead, soft and slow. It's a lot like a dance though the rest of her is still. Her heart almost jumps to her throat, and when she finally backs up and opens her eyes, he's staring at her.

His face is flushed, and he looks so stunned and dazed that she can even hear his breathing stutter for a moment. She sits down by his side, but does not even attempt to explain away why she did so. Cat Noir doesn't ask, and Ladybug's kind of glad for the quiet. The sounds of their breathing and the city bursting to life underneath them are the only noises around.

* * *

Marinette's used to a lot of crazy situations dealing with her crush, but when he leans against her, just as tired as they quietly watch Alya and Nino play this round of the game, she isn't sure why her fingers thread through his hair. It's affectionate, near maternal, and yet she isn't quite sure. She's never owned a cat and can not clarify whether petting a cat is similar to this at all.

Marinette still leans down, pressing her lips firmly against his forehead, hands stilled that once roamed through his hair. She doesn't hold it for long, though her cheeks go quite pink, and she's relieved that neither Alya or Nino turned away from the video game.

Adrien's eyes flutter open to meet her blue ones, and all she can answer him with is a shy smile and a rosy pink face. Thankfully, his green eyes are warm as he looks up at her, what can be called affection brews in his eyes, and for the moment, it is just for her.

* * *

Ladybug pulls Adrien to safety, eager to keep the Akuma as far away from the model as possible. Sometimes, she wonders if a plane ticket is quicker and safer. She sets him down on the rooftop, and in the silence of it leans down, not unaware that she's being just as affectionate with him as she'd been as Marinette.

She presses a tender kiss to his forehead and whispers against his skin, "Be safe." It's soft, and she wonders if her heart is still beating inside her chest or if it's flown the coop. Adrien stares up at her with a blush, and she realizes that his eyes hadn't been closed.

That sits in her stomach as she debates why that seems so, so different. Cat Noir's eyes had been closed; when she leaned over as Marinette, Adrien's eyes had been closed. The model just stares up at her with wide eyes before he finally nods his head and glances down at his feet, something likely on his mind. She hopes it's not a question as to why all of the women in his life have a tendency of kissing his forehead lately.

* * *

Marinette's having a rough day, not only did she forget her and Cat Noir's joint patrol, everything seemed to be slipping away from her. Now, he was likely home and worried sick, and she was just sitting in her room, wishing that she didn't want to cry like there was no tomorrow. She curls her arms around her knees, hoping the warmth and proximity of the action would keep her from crying at all.

Cat Noir knocks on her balcony, and her heart jumps to her throat. She lets him in with still somewhat shaky hands, trying to hide her tears. Because, Cat Noir doesn't need to see Marinette cry; she wants to always be strong for him, even when she isn't Ladybug. Looking sad doesn't bug her when he arrives, just the fact that he could find her crying and in need of something way more than just being sad would entail.

Still, he takes one look at her and sees something within her that helps him to know that she'd just been crying. "Marinette, do you trust me?" It's an odd question to hear, but she listens anyway.

"Y-Yeah." She hates the stutter. She never stutters around him.

"Okay, some friends of mine have reminded me of what is the most comforting and the warmest way of expressing care for another." His face turned red beneath the mask, but still he leaned towards her. Her heart thudded in her chest, but she closed her eyes, anyway.

His lips brushed against her forehead, and it felt kind of like when her parents had kissed her forehead when she was so little. It was soft, warm, and calming. Marinette took a deep breath, and then Cat Noir pulled away.

She looked up and met his green eyes, and suddenly realized that all of the affection that she'd given Cat Noir and Adrien lately felt like this. Marinette couldn't help smiling as she held her partner's gaze.


End file.
